TAI + LEE, architects

What TAI + LEE, architects does

TAI + LEE, architects is a privately held professional services firm founded in 1981 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operating as a principal-led practice of approximately six employees. It delivers architectural services across four defined practice areas — Residential, Commercial, Sustainable, and Historic — encompassing programming, design, and construction administration. Its client base spans federal, state, and municipal public-sector bodies (Government of Canada, PA Department of Environmental Protection, Housing Authority of Pittsburgh), academic institutions (Carnegie Mellon University), nonprofit operators (Phipps Conservatory), and private residential owners. The firm holds MBE/WBE certification, supporting preferential access to public-sector procurement, and co-founder Stephen Lee's concurrent role as Head of the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University provides a structural academic-practice pipeline. Revenue mechanics are project-based professional service fees, with no subscription, licensing, or platform component, and the firm has extended sustainable-design consulting engagements internationally into Europe, Asia, and Canada.

The firm's technical platform consists of standard architectural tooling — computers running visualization, drafting, energy simulation, communication, and project/financial management software — with no disclosed proprietary technology, AI/ML systems, or data assets. Its competitive position rests on credentials and portfolio rather than technology differentiation: marquee commissions include the Jean Canfield Government of Canada Building, the ALCOA Fjardaal Smelter in Iceland (marketed as the world's most environmentally friendly aluminum smelter), PA DEP offices, Phipps Conservatory work, Housing Authority of Pittsburgh projects, and multiple Carnegie Mellon University buildings. Recognized deliverables include LEED Gold certified projects and the PA Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence. No funding rounds, external investors, or debt instruments are disclosed.

Day-to-day ownership and operations are centered on principal Yoko Tai; Stephen Lee transitioned from active principal to consulting principal around 2009. The firm relocated its office to Pittsburgh's Polish Hill neighborhood in 2008 and operates without disclosed hiring plans, acquisitions, or new practice launches in the available data, consistent with a stable, principal-led boutique model rather than a scaling enterprise.

Name

TAI + LEE, architects

Legal name

TAI+LEE, architects PC

Website

https://taipluslee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TAI + LEE, architects is a 6-person Pittsburgh-based architecture firm founded in 1981, delivering residential, commercial, sustainable, and historic design services to public-sector, institutional, nonprofit, and private clients across the U.S. and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (54141)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Sustainable building design
• Historic preservation architecture
• Urban revitalization design
• Adaptive reuse design

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full range of architectural services for residential, commercial, sustainable, and historic projects. Revenue generated through professional service fees for design, consultation, and project management from conception through construction and occupancy.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

TAI + LEE, architects is a small Pittsburgh-based architecture firm offering full-service architectural design across four practice areas: residential, commercial, sustainable design, and historic preservation. The firm provides design, consultation, and project management services from project conception through construction and occupancy, with deep specialization in urban design, neighborhood revitalization, adaptive reuse, and high-performance sustainable buildings.

Product overview

TAI + LEE, architects PC is an architecture firm offering integrated design services across four practice areas: Residential, Commercial, Sustainable, and Historic preservation. The firm provides full architectural services from conception through construction and occupancy, with expertise in urban design, neighborhood revitalization, adaptive reuse, and sustainable design. The company operates as a small firm structure ensuring principal involvement throughout project delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Architecture Services
• Commercial Architecture Services
• Sustainable Architecture Services
• Historic Preservation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Water consumption reductions of approximately 80% and annual energy consumption cost reduction modeled at over 60% at Jean Canfield Government of Canada Building
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Carnegie Mellon University - School of ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder Stephen R. Lee serves as Professor & Head of the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University. He is the track chair of the Master of Science in Sustainable Design degree and has been the faculty adviser for the School's Solar Decathlon teams. Professor Lee provides consulting services to institutional and commercial clients in Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States through the Carnegie Mellon Center for Building Performance & Diagnostics.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• HOK: Large global architecture practice with broad sustainable-design capabilities and significant government/institutional project delivery, operating as a higher-capacity incumbent.
• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with a strong sustainability practice and large institutional/government client base, competing for the same LEED-driven public-sector commissions as TAI+LEE.
• Gensler: Largest global architecture/design firm with extensive workplace, civic, and sustainable-design practices, serving as a high-capacity alternative for institutional clients.
• SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill): Global architecture and engineering firm with deep expertise in high-performance building design and large-scale institutional projects, frequently competing for sustainable commissions.

Direct peers

• BNIM Architects: Mid-sized practice recognized for pioneering high-performance, LEED-driven design across civic and institutional work—directly comparable to TAI+LEE's sustainable/LEED positioning.
• Lake|Flato Architects: Award-winning firm specializing in sustainable, regionally rooted architecture across residential and civic typologies, mirroring TAI+LEE's sustainable and adaptive reuse niche.
• WRT (Wallace Roberts & Todd): Philadelphia-based practice with deep expertise in urban design, neighborhood revitalization, and adaptive reuse—closely aligned with TAI+LEE's urban and historic preservation focus.
• Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: Pittsburgh-headquartered architecture firm with comparable residential, institutional, and sustainable-design portfolios and a similar small-firm, principal-led practice model.
• Studio Gang: Practice known for sustainability-driven, place-based design across cultural, civic, and residential projects, with comparable emphasis on environmental performance and research.

Regional players

• IKM Architecture: Pittsburgh-based architecture firm serving similar institutional, healthcare, and corporate clients in the Western PA region, providing direct regional competition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tai-lee-architects-pc

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TAI + LEE, architects